Too Close
by Ninkita
Summary: Edward thought it was a perfectly viable plan to act as bait for the Volturi. Jasper didn't agree, but at least he'd be there as back-up. That's what best friends did, right? [A FAGE 12 story for Marie Carro]
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** This story is a gift for MarieCarro. Marie, I really hope you like it!

Here's the prompt I based it on: _'People mostly believe we survived the attack by hiding in his home, and only I knew that wasn't true.'_

Chrissie **(purpleC305)** beta'd this for me even though I was writing till the last minute, and I am so grateful to have her in my life.

If you would like to see all the stories that are a part of this exchange, you can visit the Facebook group _Fanficaholics Anon: Where Obsession Never Sleeps_, or add the C2.

**1.**

It was a bit like a scene from a movie... a dark alleyway, swirling tendrils of fog, backlit by a flickering shaft of uncertain light from who knows where. It was just bright enough to see, but dark enough to make you wonder if what you saw was real.

Steady, unhurried footsteps echoed off the brick walls, and the three assailants paused. The man they were struggling to hold down squinted towards the sound as best he could while being manhandled. Maybe it was the angle, or perhaps the attack had shaken up his perception, but he thought the approaching figure looked familiar. A low chuckle broke the sudden hush, sending an unexpected thrill down Edward's spine.

His attackers had clearly picked up the same vibe, for he could feel their hands trembling even as they clutched him harder. The newcomer laughed again, the sound completely relaxed yet completely humorless.

He broke through the darkness and stepped into a patch of light. He was tall, dressed completely in black, and beyond that it was impossible to tell. There was something foreboding about him, as though the air around him was heavier, as though he was composed of darkness. Fingers of fog tried to cling hopelessly to his body, but they flickered and fell away defeated.

The man tilted his head slightly, and the three attackers dropped their quarry at once. With whimpers of sheer terror they scrambled back, stumbling and scraping against the filthy ground till they were backed up against the wall.

The man kept approaching, his footsteps steady. He paused briefly when he drew near Edward, who was slowly rising to his feet. Their eyes met, and the stranger's eyes seemed to glow red.

Edward turned away slightly, dusting off his clothes. The other man sighed before he brought his attention to the men cowering in the corner. The attackers tried to scream, but their throats choked up. Horror thrummed through their veins in relentless waves. Eyes wide, so wide, they stared into their own dark thoughts, and their despair took on an edge of hysteria.

Edward leaned against a wall and watched the newcomer tap his chin, as though in thought. It was almost morbidly comical how the three men cowering before him seemed to follow his gesture, except that they tore at their own skin, scratching and slashing till there was nothing left of them but an indistinguishable mangled mess.

The man continued to stare at their remains for a few moments after their garbled screams had died out. Then he turned back to Edward and smiled, the light hitting his face obliquely.

"You ok, Jade?"

Edward narrowed his eyes and gave him the slightest nod in response, before turning away and walking back towards the mouth of the alley.

"What, that's it?" the man protested, following and falling into step beside Edward. "No 'thank you, Jasper, you just saved my life' or 'I don't know what I'd have done without you' or 'that was the fucking coolest thing you just did back there'?"

"What are you doing here anyway?" Edward asked instead.

"Saving you," Jasper replied with a grin. They turned into the main street and though his face was still mostly shaded by the brim of his cap, light glinted off his bright smile. Edward side-eyed him, but declined to comment.

"Oh alright, stop with the annoyance. I am right next to you, I can't take it at such close range!" Jasper protested as they turned another corner into the parking lot of a moderately busy RiteAid.

"So go away," Edward shrugged. He reached into his pocket and clicked a fob. Lights blinked on a car parked near the edge of the lot. "Or turn it off if your ability bothers you so much."

"I heard you'd been doing that a lot," Jasper commented, sliding into the passenger seat before Edward was even fully seated. He tugged off the cap and shook out his shoulder-length blond hair so that it partially concealed his face. "So it's true, huh? Turning off your ability. That's how you've been able to move around so easily. I still remember how you used to get so overwhelmed by all the thoughts around you."

It didn't require extra abilities to hear the tiny note of longing in Jasper's voice. Edward paused before starting the car. "You still get overwhelmed by the emotions around you. It isn't so hard to control it, though."

Jasper smirked. If anyone else had said those words in that offhand tone, he would have probably found a creative way to end them already. But this was Edward, and that made it different. "Wanna teach me?"

Edward's lips tightened a fraction.

"Hey, what's that look? I just saved your life!" Jasper protested.

"You don't know how?"

Jasper laughed. "Maybe. Maybe not. What, you don't want to help me?" He turned his head to look over at Edward, who was looking straight ahead. There wasn't a spare thread of emotion being sent his way. Jasper didn't know whether to be grateful or upset. "Seriously though, you could help me practice, right? I've been working on it, and I'm pretty good at controlling and directing emotion, as you might have noticed tonight..." another hopeful look, met with blank unconcern, "But it's still not easy for me to shut it off, or shield myself like you do."

After five whole seconds of expectant silence, Jasper started to speak again. "Edward, come on. We've known each other for years, right? We were practically kids when we first met!"

"It was just four years ago," muttered Edward.

"Didn't I help you out whenever it got too noisy with your mindreading? Or whenever Carlisle and co. got on your nerves? Or when you wanted someone to spar with? Or hey, even ten minutes ago in the alleyway? Why won't you help me?" he was practically whining by the end of it.

"I was ten seconds away from snapping all their necks and you know it. It was nice of you to step in, but hardly necessary. Also, a lot messier than I'd have made it." He cast a single loaded glance at Jasper, who sat there wide-eyed and gaping.

Edward turned his attention back to the road, but Jasper could have sworn there was the ghost of a smile on his lips. His own smile broke out again in response.

"Alright, maybe you're right. But I did save you the trouble, and you're welcome. In return, I'd really appreciate it if you helped me out. I hardly get to see you anymore anyway. This way we could spend time together again, away from those noisy family dinners Esme insists on every month."

Edward didn't respond, turning off onto a narrow driveway lined with thick foliage on both sides. Jasper realized he hadn't been paying attention to anything but Edward since they'd walked out of the alley, and he actually had no idea where they were. Before he could ask, Edward had maneuvered to a stop. Without a word, he got out of the car, and Jasper followed.

They couldn't have been too far from the city, they hadn't been driving that long, but it was far enough that Jasper couldn't feel the oppressive press of human emotions against his consciousness anymore. It felt good.

He smiled. Somehow, it always felt good when he was near Edward. When he had first met him four years ago, they were both going through a similar process of learning to deal with powers that made them too fucking sensitive. Edward's mindreading was as bad as his ability as an empath. He still remembered the sharp tang of worry Carlisle emanated those days, and he imagined Edward had an even worse time, being able to actually hear all those thoughts on a loop.

Still, it didn't mean Edward could just move out and cut everyone out of his life just because he had mastered the shielding technique. Which, he fumed, he was the one to suggest to him in the first place.

The righteous indignation aimed at his back made Edward stop and turn back to Jasper.

"Do I seriously need a shield against you right now?" he asked with a raised brow.

"You felt that?" Jasper asked, intrigued. He hadn't even realized Edward had lowered his shield, which meant he really had become a lot better at it in the six months or so since he had moved out of Carlisle's place. For some reason, the thought made him a little sad.

"Hey," he called out, "What have you been up to the last few months anyway? Why haven't you been around for Sunday dinners? Why don't you pick up the fucking phone once in a while?"

Edward ignored him and motioned towards the house. "Get in, we'll talk."


	2. Chapter 2

**2.**

The house was pretty nondescript from the outside, a dark wood structure whose edges blended into the surrounding gloom. He didn't spend much time or effort in scrutinizing it right then, though. There would be plenty of time for that later. Now that he knew where Edward lived—sort of—he would make it a point to come back.

Jasper watched as Edward tapped a code onto a concealed touchpad, unlatched the door and entered. He followed and saw that the door opened directly into a single large room with couches grouped around a fireplace at one end, and an open area with a baby grand piano at the other. Three shallow steps led down into what he assumed was the kitchen. It was sparsely furnished, sparsely decorated.

"This is nice," he commented, kicking off his shoes near the door... he knew how Edward was about these things. Walking into the centre of the room he tipped his head back to look at the exposed wooden beams that held up the roof. "Didn't look like it from the outside, but damn, you've got a lot of space."

"It isn't much," Edward responded, leaning against a wall and watching him take in what little there was to see. "The high ceilings make it look bigger I guess."

"Yeah," Jasper agreed. "And the fact that you have pretty much no clutter. Esme definitely had nothing to do with decorating this place," he chuckled.

Edward didn't say anything, but Jasper felt his faint whisper of anxiety and uncertainty.

"I like it," he said decisively. "It's very... you." He waited, and sure enough, this time he felt a short burst of warmth hit his chest. It wasn't much, barely the hint of fleeting emotions, but Jasper liked that he was getting a read on Edward again. "Be honest, though. Did you really do everything yourself? Choosing the couches? Buying the cushions? Deciding the color of the carpets?"

"Want to see the rest of the place?" Edward asked in response, not waiting for a reply as he started to walk off towards the kitchen.

It was more than Jasper had expected, so he grinned and followed, shadowing Edward so closely that their shoulders bumped together when they both tried to pass through the doorway at the same time, which led to a brief scuffle as both did their best to shoulder the other aside. Subtle elbow jabs were replaced by knee jabs and kicks and outright shoves, till they both landed on the floor with a thump.

"You're so competitive!" Jasper exclaimed in mock-censure, trying to stifle his laughter.

"Sure, it was all me," Edward rolled his eyes. "Get off me, you idiot."

"But it's so comfy like this, we're practically cuddling. Mmmm, I missed this," Jasper clung closer, while Edward lay stiff as a marble statue beneath him. This close, Jasper didn't need to use his ability to know Edward was agitated... despite his lack of apparent reaction, he could feel his heartbeat speeding up. It made him happier than it probably should.

"Anytime you're done being an ass, I'd love to get off the freaking kitchen floor, Jasper," Edward eventually ground out. When Jasper refused to respond, he sighed and stroked his hands gently down the other man's back, before suddenly deviating to his sides.

"Edward!" Jasper howled, practically jumping off in an attempt to get as far as possible from the merciless fingers tickling him. "You can't do that to me! I'm your closest friend!"

"Too close," Edward said with a wicked raised eyebrow that stopped Jasper's protests just like that. "Get up."

"Fine, fine, you don't have to be so mean to me," Jasper grumbled, following him obediently as he pointed out the main points of interest in the kitchen—the refrigerator, stove and the cupboard that held all the snacks. "Why don't you have a microwave? Tell me you at least own a toaster. Does anyone even deliver pizza out here?"

"You know, I don't really get it," Edward said, leading him towards the back of the kitchen, through a short hallway with three doors leading off it. He opened the first and motioned to a small but functional bathroom. "I've never seen you act this juvenile with any of the others. Most people who meet you are actually scared of you."

"That's cause I send out 'stay away' vibes," Jasper said matter-of-factly, peering around Edward's shoulder to look into room he had just opened the door to. "Is this my room?"

"It's... the guest room, so yeah I guess you can stay here." Edward nudged Jasper away and shut the door. "That's my room," he motioned to the last door. "Let's go back to the living room and..."

"Hold on, I want to see."

"It's just a bedroom, Jasper," Edward said with a huff. "There's something more important that you should know about."

"About those guys I saved you from? Yeah, yeah, I know, and we'll get to them in a minute," Jasper agreed, nimbly stepping around the other man. He entered the bedroom and sighed. It was so... Edward. From the soothing colors, to the wall of books, the keyboard, a comfortable reading chair near the windows which probably looked out onto a garden, the soft carpet underfoot... he could practically breathe in the essence of Edward. Ever since they had entered the house, he had been low-key feeding off the constant buzz of restrained emotion he was getting off his friend. But the sense of contentment he got in this room... he just wanted to curl up and never leave.

"Are you done?" If he couldn't feel the energy emanating from Edward... half hopeful, half anxious... he might have believed that he was really as annoyed and impatient as his voice sounded. Of course, Jasper knew better.

"Almost... where's... ah, the bathroom is through here?" Jasper tried hard to hold back his glee at the sudden rush of panicked emotion that surged toward him from Edward. He lived for this feeling.

If the bedroom was spacious, the bathroom was nothing short of lavish. "Edward, you have a freaking indoor garden... and a koi pond... and bookshelves... and a hot tub?" He turned to eye his friend consideringly. "Alright, level with me. Have you been using this place to shoot porn or something? Is that why you haven't been in touch? Ohh, is that why you moved out in the first place?" He ignored Edward's eyeroll. "Ah, you don't need to be shy! 'Sex is perfectly natural, my boy'," he added in awful mimicry of Carlisle's voice.

"Oh God, just stop," Edward groaned. "And get your facts right. That's not an indoor garden, it's a planterior."

Jasper looked at him expectantly, waving him on in an encouraging manner. "That's all? So I'm right about the porn?"

He slowly raked his eyes over Edward, for one moment allowing himself to think of that body unclothed, those deep green eyes hazy with desire, the flex of those abs, and that skin covered with a sheen of sweat. Those lips close to his own… his whole body shivered in response. Jasper was broken out of his thoughts by the realization that he wasn't the only one being affected. Somewhere along the way, Edward had removed his mental shield completely, and had heard every dirty, sexy thought that had just run through his mind. Ricocheting back and forth, the lust in the room amplified till it became hard to breathe.

Jasper gulped and tried to stop himself from folding under the intensity of emotion. He really didn't think he could make it out of here without launching himself at Edward and tasting and feeling and…

Suddenly, it was as if a small gust of air blew in. Jasper tried to steady his breathing, looked up and realized that Edward had his eyes shut tight, fists clenched at his sides. The moment he put up his shield it became a lot easier to breathe.

They both took a few extra seconds to calm down enough so they could pretend that hadn't just happened. Jasper heaved a sigh of relief, because this wasn't a friendship he wanted to ruin because of some kind of awkward sexual tension.

Then Edward went and ruined his hard-won composure by tossing him a lingering look before he walked unhurriedly to the sink and splashed water on his face. Jasper watched with open mouth as Edward shook his head, uncaring of the water droplets splattering all over the pristine counter and—gasp—the mirror, in a most un-Edward-like move. A few drops landed on Jasper's hand and he drew back as if burnt.

Edward's tiny smirk at that reaction was half hidden by the towel he finally decided to dry his face with.

"What the… what was that?" Jasper demanded, trailing after his friend, who apparently thought sultry glances after a lustful near-miss was no big deal.

Edward didn't bother to respond till they were back in the living room. "Nothing that can't wait till later. Sit," he pointed to the couch.

Jasper chose to sit in one of the armchairs instead. "So, the guys tonight?" he asked.

"Volturi's men," Edward said, leaning back into the opposite armchair with a sigh. "This wasn't the first attack either."

"I know," Jasper confessed. "I might have been keeping an eye out the last few weeks."

Edward nodded. "I thought I heard you a few times."

"So what's the deal? Why all the attacks? Why now?"


	3. Chapter 3

**3.**

"It might have to do with Alice," Edward said thoughtfully. "After I moved here, I was keeping tabs on local crime, you know, murders, disappearances, the usual warning signs. There was nothing unusual, but I got a feeling _something_ was going on. I started patrolling, and noticed a pattern. There were break-ins, muggings, and then once a week there would be a murder. Around the same time, three or four people would go missing, usually male. There didn't seem to be any ethnic preference, but they were all strong, able-bodied people who either went missing or turned up dead."

"So what does that mean?" Jasper asked.

"I couldn't figure it out at first. Then one day I actually saw it myself, and everything made sense. Two of the Volturi guards cornered a guy. They were trying to get him to fight them, and from their thoughts it was obvious they wanted to check his strength and skills. If they thought he had potential, they'd turn him and take him back to Volturi headquarters for training. If not, they'd kill him and look for another quarry."

"So they're trying to make a vampire army? Is that it?" Jasper asked, jaw tight with anger.

"That seems to be part of it," Edward agreed gravely. "But I was more interested in why they would try to do something like that. Since the antidote was developed three years ago, it's hardly the same as before."

"You're right," Jasper agreed, his angry blue eyes trained on the carpet at his feet. "It isn't the same as before."

Edward watched him for a moment, his keen eyes not missing the angry flex of his fist, or the way he gritted his teeth.

"They still want to create an army," he finally continued, his voice almost gentle. "But I think they're planning on something a little more experimental."

"How's that?"

"Carlisle and Alastair have been careful about dispersing the vaccine. Most of the time, they don't reveal themselves to the vampires they help. There have been very few who know what's actually going on. Because of this, while the vampire population has steadily been shrinking, there isn't a lot of information about the process. I think it is only recently that the Volturi have realized that most of us retain certain powers even after we become human again. They don't seem to be too happy about that."

Jasper snorted and shook his head. "Of course they aren't happy. They get such a high from the thought that vampires are more powerful than humans. Humans with powers? Probably makes them want to kill themselves."

"That's what I thought. But why the vampire army then? Are they just planning on creating more vampires faster than they can be turned back?" Edward chewed on his lip thoughtfully. "No, that didn't seem right. So I kept a sharper watch. I started actively preventing their attacks. Sooner or later I knew I'd come across someone who knew why they were doing this."

"Ah, shit," Jasper muttered. "I might have messed things up a bit. Since I started tailing you a few weeks ago, I might have intercepted a few attacks. I thought I was helping you out, but… maybe not, huh?"

Edward's eyes softened, and he let out a reluctant laugh. "Thank you for trying to help me," he said. "And I don't think you messed anything up. In fact, I have it on good authority that you saved my life tonight."

Jasper gasped and clutched at his chest. "Edward Cullen, stop that! You can't go around being nice to me and laughing and shit."

Edward smirked back as he gave him the finger. "I got something tonight, though. One of the guys definitely knew about Alice. Apparently Jane and Alec found out about her, or heard something that made them suspect what she's been working on. That's why they're circling around this area, building up an army specifically to attack her work."

"Ah shit, that does make sense," Jasper sighed. "Alice is so close to developing a vaccine. Carlisle said that if they succeed, kids can be vaccinated against vampire attacks. Can you even imagine? Vampires won't be able to turn humans anymore. Drain them dry, sure, but the sheer inhumanity that was thrust upon us… I can't even…"

Edward nodded in understanding. Jasper never spoke about his vampire life, but they had spent enough time together, both before and after turning human, that he knew it hadn't been nearly as peaceful as his own existence.

"I've been more obvious in my attacks the last couple of weeks, trying to draw them out and distract them from finding Alice," Edward continued. "It seems to be working. They're less focused on turning people and more on finding and attacking me. I saw in their thoughts that they have orders to bring me in alive. I got the impression they want to use me as a bargaining chip for Alice."

"Makes sense," Jasper said, folding his arms across his chest. "And why is it that you haven't told me… or any of us… all this stuff before? I could've helped you, you know?"

"You're helping now, right?" Edward asked, glancing at his watch. "It's late. Are you hungry? Want to eat anything before we go to bed?"

"Is that an invitation?" Jasper winked, then groaned when Edward maintained a blank expression. "Ugh, you are so frustrating! Nah, I'm good, let's just sleep."

"You know where your bedroom is. There are some sweats in the cabinet there that you can use. I'm going to activate the shield around the house, so don't try to go wandering out on your own, alright?"

"You have a shield around the house? Why are you so hi-tech?" Jasper asked, fascinated. "Show me."

"It's just an enhanced safety measure," Edward commented.

"An enhanced safety measure that no one else has," Jasper corrected, following him back to the kitchen. He watched in fascination as Edward tapped a section of wall near the refrigerator to reveal a touchpad. "Well, that is neat. So it's like an electric force-field? Can it keep out vampires… oh right, they'd get fried. Very neat."

"It can't be seen, so most of them would," Edward agreed. "There are a few I can think of who could probably feel it beforehand and neutralize it, but that would trigger the system anyhow and give me a heads up. It makes a sneak attack that much more difficult."

"It's a bit dangerous for animals, though," Jasper said, watching Edward's profile as he set up the shield. "Or wait, you probably got a work-around for that as well."

"There's a fence around the boundary that very few animals get past," Edward agreed. "And animals are way smarter than you give them credit for. They tend to steer clear of the shield perimeter."

Jasper nodded and followed Edward to the bedrooms. "Alright, then, I guess I'll see you in the morning," he said, leaning against the door.

Edward nodded, but didn't move. His eyes seemed softer in the dim light of the corridor, and Jasper couldn't look away. He was tired, and it was a real struggle not to let his confusing feelings about the man in front of him spill out, but at the same time, he really didn't want to break the spell.

Edward's eyes moved slowly over his face, and Jasper could have sworn he felt it as though he'd reached out his hand and actually touched him. Edward's gaze lingered on his lips, and Jasper nearly choked.

Edward smirked and reached out to pat him vigorously on the back.

"See you in the morning, Jasper," he said, stepping towards his door.

Jasper watched him shut the door behind him, feeling a little bereft.

As he lay in bed twenty minutes later, a soft surge of affection wafted over him, followed by the notes of a gentle melody from next door. He fell asleep with a smile on his face.


	4. Chapter 4

**4.**

The next morning, Jasper woke from the soundest sleep he'd experienced in a while. Maybe it was the absence of passing human emotions. Maybe he was just happy to have a mission to work on with Edward. Maybe he was just happy being near Edward.

With a sigh, he turned to face the window, where sheer curtains let in the bright morning light. Either Edward had the curtains automated—which wouldn't really surprise him—or he had been in the room at some point this morning. Jasper had nothing against either option.

Lying in bed, reluctant to let the world in just yet, Jasper let his thoughts drift to the first time he'd met Edward.

…

It was a little over four years ago. He'd met Alice in a bar, and at first he hadn't trusted the fey creature who claimed to be able to see the future. Still, he didn't get any negative vibes off her, so he agreed to meet Carlisle, a vampire she claimed could help him. He met them both several times over the next few months before he started to trust them enough to really consider their proposal. Carlisle was more than happy to answer as many questions as he could come up with, and gradually, Jasper started lowering his guard around them.

That's when Edward walked in and knocked him out cold. Well, figuratively, anyway.

Jasper knew about Edward, a vampire Carlisle had created to save a young man from death. He didn't think a vampire's existence was a better option than death, but maybe if he'd met more vampires like Carlisle… Anyhow, Carlisle made Edward sound like an angel from heaven, what with how gifted he was, and how he had such excellent self-control, how talented he was, how intelligent, blablabla.

He really thought Carlisle was just being a fond parent, until he met Edward.

It was the day Jasper had finally agreed to visit Carlisle at his house. He had just met Esme, Carlisle's wife, when a wave of indifference swept into the room. He turned, and saw Edward. That's when he realized that Carlisle had left out one very important detail about his son—he was fucking hot and unbelievably beautiful.

As soon as the thought popped into Jasper's mind, he saw Edward pause and tilt his head in confusion. Still frowning slightly he looked up, and a wave of confusion and anger hit Jasper, making him stagger. Gasping, Edward reached out and pulled him out of the room, out of the house, far enough that no one else would intrude. To his own surprise, Jasper let him.

One of the first things Jasper did once they were alone was to toss aside his hat, watching for a change on the other man's face when he saw the scars. Everyone flinched, just a little, before they got dazzled by the symmetric perfection of his features. But this man ... Jasper raised his chin, and then in a moment of uncharacteristic bravado, pulled his hair back into a bun.

Edward's composure was unsettling. His blazing green gaze studied every inch of Jasper's face with an intimacy that no one else had dared. Jasper tried but failed to crush the excitement, the vulnerability that it brought out in him. He was annoyed. He wanted this man to run, and he wanted to know if it would hurt like he thought it would.

What followed was a very confusing, fraught hour of soundless communication made up of jumbled thoughts and emotions, a mental battle that left them both exhausted.

When they couldn't take it anymore, they'd charged at each other for a physical face-off that neither could win.

Ultimately Alice wandered by, with a smile and many happy thoughts of her new brother having come home. It was impossible to fight with her around, and they'd both given in for the day.

It wasn't their last scuffle, not by a long shot, not when they so easily set each other off with their thoughts or emotions, with no easy way to control either. But over time they did get used to it, and each other. Gradually they found themselves working together to control the way they tended to magnify each other's powers, and then learned to use it as a weapon.

It was around that time, maybe a year after he'd first met Alice, that Jasper and Edward volunteered to help Carlisle test the newly developed vampire antidote.

…

The slight click of the door brought him back to the present.

"You up?" Edward asked, walking in with a cup of coffee that he placed at the bedside table. He paused there, and Jasper looked up at him with sleepy blue eyes. Reaching out a hand, Edward slowly moved a lock of hair away from Jasper's face. "Always hiding your face," he muttered, shaking his head with a slight smile.

Jasper blinked. He couldn't get a read on Edward this morning, which meant he was using his shield again. For some reason, he was disappointed. He sat up and grabbed the coffee, taking a sip to clear his head.

"What's the plan for today?" he asked.

"We'll practice shielding today, and then tonight," Edward paused. "Tonight maybe we'll run into some more Volturi guards, who knows."

Jasper grinned. "Works for me."

…

Jasper smoothed down the front of the dark, striped button-down Edward had given him to wear. It was an exact fit, accentuating his broad shoulders and slim waist. Jasper smiled at the memory of how Edward had made it a point to tell him it was an old shirt he had lying around, and that it wasn't like he'd bought it for him specifically or anything.

Jasper hadn't called him out on his obvious lie, though. Why would he, when he was more than happy to know that Edward had taken the trouble to do something nice for him? Besides, it was exactly his style, something he might have picked out for himself. Still, he spent ten minutes before the mirror checking that his shirt collar was high enough, buttoned right up so that the silvery scars that scaled across his collarbone weren't evident. There was probably not another creature alive who knew the extent of his battle wounds, the painful history that he wore on his skin.

He turned slightly as the door opened. Edward's green eyes flicked to his collar and then met his eyes. Gritting his teeth, Jasper undid the top button of his shirt and stopped. The eyes dipped and again met his, a dare, a demand. His fingers slid down to the next button of their own accord.

"You never knock," Jasper observed, trying to control his body's reaction to Edward's appearance.

"Do I need to?" Edward asked, his voice so innocent, his eyes anything but.

Jasper rolled his eyes in exasperation. Edward had been this way all day long and it was getting to be more than he could bear. "Let's get to that bar, already," he groused.


	5. Chapter 5

**5.**

Jasper got out of Edward's car about five blocks away from their destination.

"See you in half an hour," he said, not the least bit surprised when Edward responded with nothing more than a slight nod.

Walking towards the bar they had chosen as their base of operations for the night, Jasper's senses were alert. Based on what Edward had heard from his attackers the night before, Jane and Alec Volturi were in the vicinity. He thought it was a perfectly viable plan to draw them out by making himself especially visible. Jasper didn't entirely agree, but consoled himself that at least he'd be there as back-up. He also felt a lot better when Edward agreed to let him go ahead and survey the bar and surrounding area beforehand.

He was within three blocks of the bar when he picked up signs of Volturi presence. His years of military training, both as a human and as a vampire, had honed his senses far beyond his powers as an empath, though it had been some years since he'd had to use them this way. At least those years were good for something, he thought a little bitterly. For a moment he considered seeking out the Volturi guards he had located, and ending them. But he had promised Edward he wouldn't do anything hasty, so he hunched his shoulders and kept walking, just another nondescript man planning to spend a few hours at a neighborhood bar.

The bar was sparsely populated, just as Edward had predicted. A couple of large screen TVs were telecasting a football game, probably highlights from last week. Most patrons were huddled around the TV at one end of the bar, while a few sat scattered in the small booths that lined the wall. In all, there weren't more than ten people there. None of them posed a threat.

Jasper took a seat at the dark end of the bar, signaling the bored looking bartender for a beer, pretending to be completely absorbed by the game on TV. By the time Edward arrived, he had managed to isolate the energies of each of the eight vampires who were tailing his friend. Using the techniques he'd been practicing all day, he was easily able to follow their movements and tap into their emotions as they circled around outside.

He took a moment's break from his dedicated tracking to appreciate the sight of Edward walking into the dark bar. Edward was one of the most objectively beautiful people he had ever seen, but he never seemed to smile. He didn't even seem to lose his temper much, or show the slightest irritation... anything that'd show a change in his facial expressions. Jasper pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes in contemplation. Maybe that was a good thing. He was bad enough with this boring poker face. The world probably couldn't handle the devastation of his smile. Or a smolder, or a hot frowny annoyed glance, or...

He blew out a breath and turned away. A few sips of his drink and he managed to bring his heart back to a normal beat, turning his mind back to the work at hand. He was just in time, as it turned out, since the moment he focused on the vampires outside, he sensed a shift in their energy. There was a new vampire in their midst, possibly someone they had been waiting for.

Jasper sat up and asked the bartender for a whiskey. That was his signal to Edward, who was probably monitoring the situation on his own as well. He still thought it would have been so much easier for Edward to have just listened in to his thoughts like he used to. But Edward had insisted it would be distracting, so Jasper hadn't pushed it.

Edward's eyes met his for a fleeting moment, and then he was up, making his way to the back of the bar where the restrooms were located.

Jasper thanked the bartender and sipped his drink, outwardly relaxed. He patiently counted out three minutes, then followed in Edward's footsteps. At the back of the bar, he kept going past the restrooms, pushing open the backdoor that led to a quiet alley. Outside, he sighed, leaned against the brick wall and dug out a cigarette from his pocket. In the light of the match, reality seemed to waver for a brief second.

Cigarette casually dangling from his fingers, he flicked away the spent matchstick. It was so quiet out there that even a normal human being would have suspected something was wrong. Whoever was trying to maintain the illusion wasn't very skilled at it.

As one minute stretched to two, the edges of the illusion started to waver, much like the smoke from his cigarette. Jasper estimated that it had been long enough for Edward to have done his thing. All it took was one moderate blast of uncertainty directed at the creator of the illusion for it to shatter.

The scene in the alleyway suddenly looked a lot different. The eight vampires he had sensed earlier were stationed at different points, three each near the two exits to the alley, and two right in front of him. He recognized Jane and Alec, but in that moment they were far too focused on Edward to notice him.

It might have been amusing at any other time to watch a very human Edward hold back the powerful gifts of disorientation and pain that the twins were infamous for. Jasper didn't waste any time, though.

In one smooth motion, he tossed aside the cigarette and blasted the vampires with a heavy dose of crushing despair.

Before the vampires could recover from his attack, Jasper was standing alongside Edward, their talents feeding off each other to amplify into a force too strong to resist. In the aftermath of the first wave of energy, only Jane was able to stagger to her feet, red eyes blazing with anger.

They waited till she cast her painful energy at them; Jasper watched Edward manipulate it right back at her. Jasper turned his attention to the others then, using the vampires' own churning emotions to systematically annihilate each member of the guard with ruthless precision. Meanwhile, Edward delved into Jane's mind, searching for more information on what they were planning.

Their work was almost done, when a sudden rumble alerted them to a new presence.

"It's him," Jasper whispered.

Edward had no time to respond, for the clear sky was suddenly covered with heavy clouds, and a howling gale swept past, tossing aside anything that came in its path. Edward immediately brought Jasper within his shield, a tangible energy field that completely neutralized the sudden violent storm.

"It's Benjamin," Edward said.

Jasper nodded, shut his eyes and focused solely on isolating their attacker's emotional energy. It took him a few seconds, because Benjamin's storm was as elemental as it was emotional. Wading through the mess of fury and chaos, Jasper found at the core a small mass of confusion.

He pushed and pushed, till he reached the centre of the creature's motivation. There he paused, because all he felt was a deep grief, a complete lack of will to live. This vampire was suffering, and the Volturi had somehow found a way to use that pain to serve their purpose. The pain felt familiar, and in that moment Jasper felt truly sorry for the guy.

"What is it?" Edward asked in a slightly strained voice.

"We need to get him to Carlisle," Jasper said with certainty. "I'm going to need to be a little closer to him, though. Should we wait here, or..?"

"He's moving closer," Edward said, "I can flip my shield to trap him in with the storm if you need."

"You can?" Jasper was almost distracted by how cool that would be, but the persistent tug on his emotions kept him grounded. "No need just yet, but maybe do that once we nab him."

Edward nodded, and Jasper closed his eyes once again. This time he reached into Benjamin's core and started manipulating the grief into acceptance, the anger into compassion. It wasn't easy, and he probably would have failed if at the heart of it Benjamin hadn't had a thread of kindness. Fortunately he did, and Jasper used that energy to calm the vampire down from within, while enveloping him in a dense cloud that sapped his angry energy.

The storm gradually shifted from a frightening gale to sporadic thunder, to a gentle rain, before finally clearing away into nothingness.

Jasper watched the slight figure tumble down from the rooftop where he had been perched. Before he hit the ground, Edward's shield swept around him, slowing his descent and bringing him to a gentle stop where he lay on the ground, unmoving.

"Go in and pay your tab; I'll deal with this lot," Edward said, turning to Jasper.

Jasper nodded and returned to the bar. It had only been fifteen minutes or so that he had been gone, but when he reached his barstool, he suddenly felt drained. Waving at the bartender he asked for another whiskey and nabbed a few peanuts while he waited. His whiskey arrived at the same time that Edward did.

Not sure why he was back, Jasper watched as he walked right up to him, grabbed his whiskey and downed it in a couple of gulps.

"Hey, that's my drink," Jasper protested, but he didn't sound very convincing. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the sexy bob of Edward's Adam's apple, and then he didn't have the chance to think of anything else, because Edward put down the tumbler and bent slightly to kiss him.

It was a brief kiss, hard, fast, and thorough. They weren't even touching except for the lips, yet every single cell of Jasper's body seemed to come alive. Edward pulled back, and Jasper blinked up at him, slightly dazed.

"Thanks for the drink," Edward smirked and walked out.


	6. Chapter 6

**6.**

"You do realize you deliberately misled your family just now?" Jasper asked.

Edward didn't bother to reply.

"They all think we were at your place when we were attacked," Jasper went on, shaking his head at the man next to him. "They think it's all thanks to your fancy-ass security system that we survived!"

Again he paused, and again Edward chose to remain silent, his focus entirely on the road ahead.

"I was the only other person in the room who knew that was a lie." Jasper paused. "If Alice had been home, she'd have known."

Finally, Edward nodded. "She would've."

Jasper let another mile or so pass before speaking again. "You're hiding the extent of your abilities from Carlisle? Is that what it is?"

Edward gave a small sigh. "Not from Carlisle. From Carlisle and Esme, both. They've been my parents for over a century, and since I turned human, they've been… extra protective."

Jasper stared at his profile for a few seconds, waiting for more. "What, that's it? That's all you're going to give me?"

Edward spared him a rueful glance. "We'll be home in five minutes. Let's talk over dinner, ok?"

Jasper tried not to let his thoughts run away with the picture of sheer domesticity Edward's words conjured up, but he mostly failed. Fortunately, they really weren't too far from home, so he didn't have much time to stress over whether or not Edward was listening to his thoughts. The two men unsnapped their seatbelts and stepped out of the car in near synchronicity that made them both smile.

Jasper followed him silently to the door, covertly checking on any unusual/vampiric activity in the vicinity. There was nothing.

"Alright," said Edward, once they were inside. "I'll cook. Ask whatever it is you want to."

"Okay," Jasper said, following him into the kitchen and leaning comfortably against the counter from where he could watch. "I guess what I'm wondering is, why you'd lie about our location tonight. Whether it happened here or outside a bar, the Volturi were out to attack you."

Edward nodded. "I know they're going to worry about us anyway. They've been anxious since I moved out, even though they never said anything or tried to dissuade me. But at least they know I have excellent security at home. Knowing that gives them a sense of relief. I know it sounds irrational, but that's how their thoughts work. They worry a lot, the two of them."

"But when Benjamin comes to, he's going to tell them exactly what happened," Jasper pointed out.

Edward hummed in agreement, tossing the vegetables he'd just chopped into a pan. "He'll be out cold for most of tonight. Judging by the state of his thoughts, it will take Carlisle a little while to get through to him. We should be safe till morning at least."

Jasper chuckled. "Dude, that's stupid."

The corners of Edward's lips quirked. "Dude, I know."

"And what about the others? Alec and Jane were Aro's favorites. There'll be repercussions," Jasper said.

"I know," Edward said. "That was another reason to go to Carlisle tonight. The Volturi aren't going to challenge him directly. After what they did to Benjamin… Carlisle will take care of them." He shrugged. "Besides, it was fun baiting the Volturi the last few weeks, but it's time to wrap this mess up."

Jasper gave him a long, considering look. "It is a mess, huh?"

"You don't think it's messy?" Edward asked softly, not quite meeting his eyes.

Jasper blinked, not quite sure what they were discussing any more.

"Anyway," Edward said, arranging the vegetables and grilled fish onto one large plate, "You're right, by the way. I haven't told Carlisle about my powers, or the way I've been working on improving my control over them."

"Why not?" Jasper asked, picking up one of the two forks and spearing some vegetables. "You know he'd want to help."

"That's exactly why." Edward cut a big piece of the fish and held it up to Jasper's mouth. "You need more than veggies, Jasper," he chided. "Look, I moved away because I needed to do some thinking. Needed to figure myself out, I guess. And it's been a long time coming. It isn't the same as when I went my way as a vampire. This is… more complicated."

Jasper chewed thoughtfully. "You're so secretive all of a sudden. The last few months, were you trying to avoid me till you were better at shielding yourself?"

Edward smiled. "Maybe."

Jasper tried to let that hurt settle while he stabbed at a piece of carrot.

"It's not the easiest thing being transparent in front of someone who holds so much power over you," Edward continued.

Jasper bit his lip and tried not to read too much into his words. "Dude, what power? All I could have done was maybe amplified your annoyance when you couldn't hold the shield long enough. That's hardly reason to stay away from me."

They ate in silence for a while, occasionally fighting over the same vegetable or piece of fish. Edward won the last morsel, then he leaned over and fed it to Jasper.

Gathered the cutlery, Edward stood. "Why don't you go shower while I clean up?"

Jasper nodded and took a step towards the bedrooms, then stopped.

"Hey, Edward," he said haltingly. "You fed me."

"Yeah," Edward agreed.

Jasper didn't quite know how to take that conversation forward, so he just nodded again and kept walking. He felt a little shaken by all the little shifts in Edward's behavior towards him. He'd definitely been flirting all day. He'd got him clothes and cooked for him, and fed him. He was taking care of him. He'd _kissed_ him. There was no way Jasper had imagined that. It had really happened, and now the question was, how to make it happen again.

Still distracted, Jasper tossed his clothes into the hamper near the door and stepped towards the shower. The hot tub caught his attention, and he decided to try it out. It wasn't till he was actually soaking in the wonderfully hot water that he realized his bathroom didn't have a hot tub.

_But Edward's did._

Almost as though he'd summoned him, Edward walked into the bathroom.

Jasper stilled. There was no way he could come out of the water now. But there was nothing to panic about yet. Edward knew he had scars. As long as he didn't come any closer, he wouldn't be able to see much more than he had seen already.

"You don't mind me using your tub, do you?" Jasper asked with an awkward laugh.

"Not at all," Edward replied. Then he started walking towards him, casually unbuttoning his shirt. With each button, Jasper's heart beat a little faster. When Edward shrugged his shirt off and tossed it aside, Jasper visibly jumped.

"Do you mind if I join you?" Edward asked with a wicked glint in his eye.

"What? No, I mean, pass me a towel and I'll get out of here. You take your time," Jasper fumbled his words, a tsunami of anxiety pouring from him in uncontrollable waves.

"Hmm," Edward looked to the side, where the towels were stacked neatly on a shelf next to the sink. "No."

"What do you mean, no?" Jasper protested.

"I don't want to give you a towel," Edward said pleasantly. Then he removed his shield, and Jasper blinked at the surge of feelings that came at him. It was warmth, and affection and desire. It was passion and lust and care. It was everything he'd ever thought about Edward, but never really thought to receive.

Shaken to his core, Jasper tried to think through the barrage of emotion that swirled around him.

"Yes, it is exactly what you think it is," Edward said, reading his confusion loud and clear. "But it's up to you. If you really don't want this, I'll leave right now." There wasn't much of a perceptible change in his voice or his expression, and his emotions were entirely too steady for the conversation they were having. Jasper was suddenly annoyed.

"Wait!" Jasper's voice was commanding, the exact opposite of his usual demeanour around Edward. He pushed himself up to stand, uncaring of the water that splashed around him, uncaring, for once, of the scars that littered his body.

Edward watched unhurried and unperturbed as Jasper stood there for a moment, water sluicing off his body, droplets clinging to his imperfect, scarred skin, to his perfect abs and muscular thighs. Edward took it all in calmly, accepting every inch that Jasper chose to reveal. His expression remained open and accepting, his enjoyment evident in the slight darkening of his eyes and minuscule twitch of his lip.

Jasper saw it and he knew.

It was going to be the night he gave in.

He'd wanted Edward for such a long time that resisting the pull had become second nature. They'd both been very aware of the desire that always lingered at the edges of their clashes in the beginning. But when they'd become friends, it had mellowed into affection... or at least that's what Jasper always told himself. They spent so much time together, and they were an excellent team. His feelings for Edward deepened steadily, till he knew there was no going back. He had resigned himself to a platonic existence with the man he loved, but of course Edward had gone and shaken things up. The last few months he'd barely seen Edward, and he'd missed him, dammit!

So now, when he'd got the chance to come close to him again, he wasn't going to fight it any longer. He took one step towards Edward, and then another. Edward didn't say a word, though Jasper knew he had heard his thoughts. He kept walking, until they were close enough to touch. Then he stepped even closer.

"Too close?" He asked, looking Edward straight in the eye.

Edward smirked and shook his head.

Jasper smirked in response, and closed the gap so they stood chest to chest. "Too close?" He asked again.

Edward raised a hand and slowly brushed Jasper's hair off his face. His fingers trailed down his sharp jaw, teasing the slight scruff there, then following the line of his neck, skirting around his collarbone and then over his shoulder. He traced the raised scars on Jasper's back so tenderly, then teased his sensitive sides, making him quiver in anticipation. With each stroke, he effortlessly rewrote the meaning of the marks Jasper had abhorred for most of his existence.

Jasper was so lost in wonder at the look in Edward's eyes that he almost lost sight of where that hand was actually going.

"Fuck!" Jasper gasped, hands grabbing instinctively onto Edward's arms, hips colliding in an unintentional, but supremely satisfying grind.

Edward grinned wickedly and squeezed the handful of ass again. Jasper still wasn't prepared, but his cock had caught on to the agenda. Of course, Edward noticed how completely Jasper was losing his mind, so he helped him out by pulling him in snug to his body and kissing him.

The moment their lips met, Jasper's mind seemed to calm. His body relaxed and his hands loosened their death grip on Edward's arms. Gradually, the gentle seduction of Edward's lips drew Jasper farther and farther away from his fears and he gave in to his yearning as well.

As their hands restlessly but thoroughly mapped each other's bodies, learning the contours of their skin, Edward's remaining clothes became a real annoyance. Clawing at the button of Edward's jeans, Jasper mumbled incoherently. Edward fumbled around Jasper's fingers, then ended up distracting him by stroking his cock instead of undoing his jeans like he should have done. It was chaotic and frustrating and beyond satisfying when they finally managed to rid themselves of all the evil clothes that were trying to come between them.

The moment Jasper took Edward's cock in his hand and stroked it firmly, his green eyes went hazy with passion. With an obvious effort he broke away from the spot on Jasper's neck that he'd been sucking on, grabbed his hand and tugged him back into the bedroom.

Somehow Jasper remembered to make his legs work... and then Edward was pushing him onto the bed and his hands were on Jasper's thighs. Jasper was torn. He wanted more kissing, but the sight of Edward's mouth so near his cock was beyond alluring. But there was something else that was far more urgent at the moment.

"Jade, wait," he whispered. Edward paused and looked up at him questioningly. "Come up here a sec."

Once again, Edward complied. Jasper leaned in for a soft kiss, but pulled away before Edward could demand more. Jasper couldn't help but smirk at how needy Edward was turning out to be.

"Before we do any more of the fun stuff," he winked and Edward gave him a hot, impatient look. "You should know I've never done this with a guy. So we should probably talk about that, yeah?"

Edward nodded, but it was obvious he didn't see why they couldn't have had this conversation later, like after he'd spent some time sucking on Jasper's cock.

"And more importantly, I'd like to make it clear that this is serious for me. We're dating, and we're together, and you can't disappear on me for months or weeks or whatever. We're a team, you get that?"

Edward huffed and actually rolled his eyes. "I'm not going to be your boyfriend, Jasper."

"Wait, what?" Jasper tried to sit up, but Edward pushed him back onto the pillows.

"I don't date," Edward continued. "It's a waste of time. We should just get married. I've been in love with you for years. I didn't think you were ever going to put me out of my misery, so I moved out and holed up here. But you gave me a clear look into your thoughts for the first time in years when you turned up yesterday, and I'm not wasting any more time."

Jasper had a lot to say to that, but he started with the most important thing. "I love you too."

The rest of their words were muffled by their lips and tongues, and it was a very long while before they bothered about anything beyond the two of them. In fact, it was nearly dawn when Jasper finally pulled his thoughts back to the Volturi situation.

"Hey Jade," he whispered, "What're we doing about the Volturi if they turn up again?"

"Carlisle will do his thing, and if they still show up, we'll just have to do our thing," Edward murmured.

"The way I feel right now, I could blast an entire Volturi army and turn them into blithering idiots with a couple of concentrated love beams," Jasper commented, running his fingers through Edward's crazy hair.

"Yeah? You sure my dick didn't turn _you_ into a blithering idiot?" Edward laughed, tugging him closer. "Concentrated love beams..."

Jasper reached up and bit at Edward's lip. "Wait till I actually do it. They'll be roaming around with fucking heart-eyes for days." He yawned, burrowing closer.

"Sleep, Jasper," Edward said with a gentle kiss on his lips. "We've got a busy day tomorrow."

**The End**


End file.
